new year’s (book) resolutions

new year’s (book) resolutions

by esmoogle

Happy New Year everybody!

And Happy New Blog to me!

The last time I created a blog it was to help me document the struggle of auditioning for singing jobs; ironically the week after my first post I got a job and the blog sort of petered into nothingness.

But that won’t happen this time, because this time I’m talking about my one true love: books.

And so, with the new year being a time for fresh starts, I’ve decided to make some reading resolutions! At the end of the year, as long as my goldfish attention span hasn’t wandered off somewhere else, the plan is to come back to this post and see if I’ve managed to stick to my resolutions.

So, without further ado, here are my four New Year’s Reading Resolutions:

More Authors & Characters of Colour

In 2018, I devoured the Lara Jean series, read Crazy Rich Asians (although I missed the film – boo!) and impulse bought Emergency Contact for a train ride when I finished my planned book earlier than expected.

All of these novels were by writers of colour and featured at least one main character who wasn’t white. Apart from that, the only thing these books had in common was a romantic storyline and a modern day setting; it was refreshing to read about different cultures in different contexts and see how the authors created characters that represented them, breaking down stereotypes but sometimes embracing them on their own terms.

This is definitely a trend I want to continue in 2019, delving even further into the growing options of cultural writing. Expanding into different period setting, countries and genres is my aim, so any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Get To The Unfortunate Conclusion

After watching season 2 of Netflix’s fab adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, I decided that in 2018 I was going to reread the entire series for the first time since I was… ooh, about 9 years old.

They’re kids books! I thought. I’ll be through them by the time the final season drops on January 1st 2019! (You’re welcome for the plug, Netflix.)

I read five. Out of thirteen.

I also have no willpower, so you can bet I’ll be hankering down with a cup of tea to bingewatch the last instalment before the clock strikes midnight on the 2nd.

However, it’s always better late than never, so in 2019 I want to pick up those eight pesky remaining books with NPH’s singing running through my head and try figure out what exactly did happen in The End.

I’ll Be There For You

All of my friends (geddit?) are big readers so it’s inevitable that at some point one of them will rock up with THE BEST BOOK THEY’VE EVER READ!!!!!! and want to share the joy. Sometimes I’ll get round to reading it (and more often than not loving it too!) but a lot of the time it gets a dutiful click onto my goodreads tbr and then is lost within the sea of everything else that catches my eye.

This year I want to prioritise some of their favourites; at the very least it gives us yet another step of common ground to discuss and at the most we’ll be able to bask in that religious experience of THE BEST BOOK WE’VE EVER READ!!!!!! together.

Quality, Not Quantity

In 2018 I read over 100 books. In some, I found personal classics that will stay with me forever (a best books of 2018 post will be coming soon!), in others… not so much.

I was so desperate to hit my goodreads challenge that I stopped looking for things I wanted to read and just settled for things I could read. Now I’m not saying they were bad as I’m sure they were suited to someone’s taste – unfortunately just not mine.

The plan for 2019 is to go for a lower goal, but really make the most out of each reading experience, especially if I want to be reviewing and discussing as much as possible on here! Add to that the arcs I’m very lucky to have been granted already and the ones I hope to receive throughout the year and already the spots are filling up.

And there they are; hopefully not going to gather dust like my usual resolutions of ‘be better with money’, ‘eat healthier’ and ‘buy a diary and actually use it all year instead of losing it somewhere around march and living the rest of the year in a confused haze of what day it is and what am I supposed to be doing next week’.

If you have any recommendations, please throw them my way! You can also find me on twitter and goodreads and do feel free to follow/add me on both and drop in to say hi!

Additionally, you may have noticed from this solitary blog post that I’m a little new to this; if anyone has any advice on posts and content then I am all ears. I do have some posts queued up already including more of an introduction to myself, my favourite books of 2018 and two arc reviews so keep your eyes out for those!

Finally, I am taking part in elgeewrites’ Comment 4 Comment Challenge so if you do feel like leaving a comment (books recs, introducing yourself, telling me to calm down because I wrote this post entirely fuelled by my Christmas chocolate haul) then not only will you make me super happy, but it’ll also give me the opportunity to head over to your blog and get to know you too!

Happy New Year – and may your 2019 be full of peace, happiness and most of all books.

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35 thoughts on “new year’s (book) resolutions”

  1. You might be new to this, Es, but you’re absolutely a natural. This whole entire post was not only a joy to read, but extremely insightful and fun!
    You made me laugh in abundance which, admittedly, you always do, only this time in a singularly bookish context!

    Recommendations to follow:

    Olivia Twist – Lorie Langdon; by no means a revolutionary story, but still a book that I think will hit ALL your sweet spots as far as romantic tropes go, as well as featuring an absolutely delightful and fierce female lead. Plus, as adaptations and references to the original content go, this was pretty solid.

    A couple books that might be worth looking into for your first resolution, that I personally enjoyed last year:

    – Love, Hate & Other Filters – Samira Ahmed
    – You’re Welcome, Universe – Whitney Gardner
    – If Beale Street Could Talk – James Baldwin (as you know, I gave this one a 3/5 stars, but I did actually enjoy it overall, and I found it definitely pushed for an important discussion to be had)
    – Little & Lion – Brandy Colbert (which I know you most definitely own!)
    – The Color Purple – Alice Walker (I can’t remember if you’ve read this already, sorry!)
    – Meddling Kids – Edgar Cantero

    And, no doubt, I’ll be pestering you as the year goes on with all my BEST BOOK I’VE EVER READs! 😉

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    1. Ahh I love you my gorgeous girl!!

      A lot of your recommendations are on my goodreads shelf (you know me so well ;)) and I physically have Little & Lion and Meddling Kids so they’ll definitely be getting picked up in 2019! I might also have a reread of the Color Purple just because it’s so amazing. And I’ll definitely be stealing Olivia Twist from you >:)

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  2. These are amazing reading resolutions! & I’m gonna be over here cheering you on the entire time!

    Have you read When Dimple Met Rishi yet? I feel like that would be something you’d enjoy + it’d fit well with your first resolution! ALSO IF YOU WANT TO READ A FRIEND’S FAVORITE, CAN I DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MORTAL COIL@?!! It’s a science fiction read, but I really enjoyed it even though I’m not usually into sci-fi!

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    1. Thank you so much Bex!!! You’ve been such a solid friend helping me with everything and I owe you a bajillion for it ❤

      I haven't read When Dimple Met Rishi, but I have picked it up in the bookshop a couple of times so I think I'll find my way to it at some point! And ~somehow~ I seem to have acquired a copy of This Mortal Coil so that has shot to the top of my list 😉

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  3. So excited to read more from you as the year goes on, Esme! I’m leaving this comment extremely early (for me) in the morning so book recs have entirely left my head, but I’ll certainly be following your journey to read more authors of colour because that’s something I’d like to do too!

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    1. Thank you so much Tessa!

      Your reading challenge looks amazing? I especially like the one where you read a book from an author with your initials, what an interesting way to find a new writer! When I’m on top of my ARCS and have some more free time, I definitely think I’ll do this – maybe dedicate a month to it? It looks great 🙂

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  5. Such awesome New Years resolutions and oh the joy of a Christmas chocolate buzz there is nothing like it! I binge read A Series of Unfortunate Events a couple years ago and loved it, I listened to half on audiobook and they are narrated by Tim Curry so they were amazing!

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    1. Tim Curry is such a good choice to read ASOUE! I struggle with audio books because I find my attention wanders and I miss chunks of plot, but I imagine having him read them would keep me focused.

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  6. Well, for one of your first posts, this was awesome to read! I totally resonate with you on the quality vs quantity thing. I really don’t like to set up big book challenges because I want to have my time to enjoy them or even not feel that guilty if I’m going through a slump. Sometimes it happens.

    Also, this may sound a little stalkerish, but I just followed you on Twitter and you have “Janey Eyre enthusiast” which is super funny because I just finished watching the 2011 movie for the first time.

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    1. Thank you! I totally agree – so many books nearly sent me into a slump last year but I struggled through and the end wasn’t that satisfied.

      That’s crazy! I used to live and work where the Bronte sisters grew up so they’re very close to my heart. If you enjoyed the film, I really recommend watching the BBC series from 2006 – it goes so much more in depth with the plot and the characters are so developed and accurate to the book!

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      1. I’ll definitely do that! I have a hard time enjoying gothic like romances, which is basically the Bronte works I read/watched movies. I was never able to finish Wuthering Heights and I tried 3 times. But I liked Jane Eyre better.

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      2. Jane Eyre is definitely more of a drama and romance with a couple of gothic elements (and mostly ‘realistic’ ones ie, the setting, Rochester’s wife) whereas Wuthering Heights is a gothic romance in itself, so I definitely understand!

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  8. Aaah these are awesome resolutions! In terms of book recs a few of my favs from last year you may like would be:

    When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon as well as From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon. It Only Happens In The Movies by Holly Bourne was another fav of mine too!

    Welcome to the world of book blogging too! ❤

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    1. Thank you!! Ah yes, a few people have mentioned Sandhya Menon’s novels to me, and I’ve almost bought When Dimple Met Rishi so many times that I think 2019 is the year I’m destined to finally get into it.

      I loved It Only Happens In The Movies! I love a romcom but it was satisfying to see so many unhealthy tropes get turned on their heads.

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      1. Yayyy hope you enjoy it when you get round to reading it!

        AAAAAAH *shrieks with you* love, love Holly Bourne’s books. Totally agree, it was so nice to see so many unhealthy tropes finally get turned around and shown that way.

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      3. Oooo the first book of hers I read was Soulmates and honestly, it was the book which made me go “yes I love and respect her for the heartache she put me through as a reader…sign me up for all her books!”

        I’ve read most of her books I think, there’s a few I still need to read but she’s one of my fav authors for sure. Yes for her being realistic and honest! Love that about her and her books

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      4. My next read of hers is What’s A Girl Gotta Do? I love her take on feminism and the confusion young girls go through trying to figure out what they do and don’t agree with.

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      5. aaaah I’ve already read that one! It’s such a good book and yes I love her take on feminism! Is so tricky trying to figure out what feminism is when you’re young because you’re hot with what society thinks it is first. Not what it actually is.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you! Reading your blog and following you on Twitter has been extraordinarily helpful 🙂

      Yeah, I’m hoping this year I read more books that I love and I’m not afraid to DNF books that I’m struggling with – it’s not worth it for a number count!

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  11. I could write pages here recommending diverse books because that is one of my obsessions! 🙂

    So instead Ill give you the link to my GR shelf where I have the best diverse books I’ve read. 🙂

    https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/49511007-daniela-ark-s-bookiverse?shelf=best-multicultural-interest&view=covers

    Since my family is from Spain and I was raised is South America you will find quite some of books by Hispanic authors and with Hispanic characters 🙂 Good luck with all your bookish goals Esmé!

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  12. Pingback: #NewBloggersWelcome! Edition #8, January 2019 | AvalinahsBooks
  13. Pingback: because i read… – esmoogle reads
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